Pueblo jail, 3 city fire stations receive energy-efficient upgrades

The Pueblo County Detention Center and the City of Pueblo’s three new fire stations received energy efficiency rebates totaling more than $209,000 from Black Hills Energy.

The rebates, part of the Black Hills Commercial New Construction Program, funded the purchase of energy efficiency measures for the detention center, Pueblo Fire Station 6, Pueblo Fire Station 8 and Pueblo Fire Station 11.

“It’s just more efficient equipment,” said Black Hills Energy Efficiency Program Coordinator Derrick Brown. Head. “The easiest way to explain this would be a regular incandescent bulb with an LED bulb – instant savings.”

In addition to high-efficiency lighting, the projects also include energy improvements such as quality roof insulation, wall insulation, lighting controls and sensors, efficient HVAC systems and efficient kitchen equipment. Brown said the improvements will not only save energy, but also save taxpayers money through annual energy savings.

The detention center received a one-time payment of $125,013 from Black Hills Energy. Energy efficiency improvements are expected to save the project approximately $91,000 annually and over 880,000 kilowatt hours, according to Black Hills.

“The center was designed from the outset with a net-zero energy goal to reduce long-term operating costs and save Pueblo County taxpayers money,” Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero said in a news release. he said. “We are grateful to Black Hills Energy for helping us achieve this goal.”

Station 6, Station 8, and Station 11 were awarded rebates of $27,905, $28,105, and $28,364, respectively. The improvements are expected to save approximately $20,000 and over 148,000 kilowatt hours per year at each station.

“Our goal with this project was to create safer spaces for our firefighters, improve response times for the community, and deliver modernized facilities,” Pueblo Fire Chief Barb Huber said in a news release. he said. “We are also pleased to work with Black Hills Energy to make these stations more energy efficient.”

The Pueblo County Detention Center is expected to open west of Pueblo Boulevard this spring. 150 beds will be added to reduce overcrowding and provide better facilities for employees. Fire Station 11 opened on the west side of Pueblo in August 2025, Station 8 on the north side in September 2025, and Station 6 on the east side in December 2025.

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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news; Subscribe to Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chef.

This article was first published on The Pueblo Chieftain: What to know about Black Hills rebates for Pueblo projects in 2026